Are you killing your future by not reading dis-interestedly ?

I am convinced that many competent freelance translators don’t read as much as they should. By reading, I mean the purest form of reading – dis-interested reading.

In times to come, the standard by which a freelancer will be judged and rewarded is going to change and either way, it will be a raised one. Here are the reasons :

The raw language competence will continue to command respect but it will be entry ticket only.

Projects – especially on the edge ones will be needing more traits like Mycroft Holmes (have you read Sherlock Holmes at least 20 times. No ? What prevents you to learn from the greatest freelancer of the world ?) – i.e connecting various seemingly unconnected things and getting meaning of high-value – present and future from it. This will be a tremendous virtue.

This Art can be cultivated in three areas : The Art of Seduction, The Art of The Art of Detection and Disinterested Reading.

Disinterested Reading affects your brain just like a highly active adolescent reacts while challenged by ever new challenges. What is the effect ? The brain is not allowed to settle and glide below but makes quantum jump and stays.

Some are genetically blessed to be disinterested readers just like some people can seduce more easily. However, with practice one can hone and who knows what level once can reach. You dont know unless you try.

Your very busy projects, your super-value clients, too good to lose time are all like getting the metaphorical fish which comes to you from the great economic ocean filled with various animals. You eat some, keep some in your digital storage called banks, paypal, moneybookers and finally use them to buy other things needed in life other than the fish.

Disinterested Reading is not getting a fish – large or small regularly from someone. It is learning how to catch fish on your own.